The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and in particular to single-use cameras. More specifically, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized recycling of a single-use camera after a roll of film in the camera is completely exposed and for permitting authorized reuse of the camera when the roll of film is replaced with another one.
Single-use cameras have recently become well known, for example, the xe2x80x9cKodak FunSaver 35 with FLASHxe2x80x9d. Typically, the single-use camera is a simple point-and-shoot type which comprises a plastic inner body housing a fixed-focus taking lens, a film metering mechanism, a shutter, a frame (exposure) counter, and possibly an electronic flash unit, and a cardboard outer cover containing the inner body and having respective openings for the taking lens, a shutter release button, a film advance thumbwheel, a direct see-through view-finder, the frame counter, and a flash emission window. At the manufacturer, the inner body is loaded with a conventional 12, 24, or 36 exposure 35 mm film cartridge and substantially the entire length of the unexposed filmstrip is factory prewound from the cartridge onto a spool in the inner body. After the photographer takes a picture, he or she manually rotates the thumbwheel to rewind the exposed frame into the cartridge. The rewinding movement of the filmstrip the equivalent of slightly more than one frame rotates a metering sprocket to decrement the frame counter to its next lower numbered setting. Further details of this operation are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,366, issued Aug. 10, 1993. When the maximum number of exposures available on the filmstrip are exposed and the filmstrip is completely rewound into the cartridge, the camera is given to a photofinisher who first removes the filmstrip from the inner body to develop the negatives and then forwards the camera to the manufacturer for recycling. The manufacturer, in turn, recycles the camera by loading it with another roll of film and repeating the foregoing prewinding process.
There is a need recognized by the industry to prevent unauthorized recycling of single-use cameras.
The invention among other things relates to a method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized recycling of a single-use camera but permitting authorized reuse of the camera. The method in a general sense comprises the steps of:
determining that a predetermined operation in the camera has occurred;
disabling a function of the camera when it is determined that the predetermined operation in the camera has occurred to prevent reuse of the camera when an exposed roll of film is replaced in the camera with an unexposed one; and
inputting an electrical, optical, or magnetic reset code to the camera to make the function that has been disabled re-enabled to permit authorized reuse of the camera with the unexposed roll of film.
In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises the steps of:
maintaining a count, using a counter in the camera, that indicates the number of exposures made and remaining to be made on a roll of film in the camera;
disabling a function of the camera when the count indicates that the roll of film in the camera is completely exposed, to substantially prevent reuse of the camera
when the roll of film is replaced with another one;
inputting a reset code to the camera; and
initializing the counter and re enabling the function that has been disabled when the reset code is inputted to the camera, to permit authorized reuse of the camera with the other roll of film.
More particularly, the method further comprises the steps of:
reading an identifier code provided in or on the camera before the reset code is inputted to the camera; and
selecting the reset code to be one that corresponds only to the identifier code that has been read.
Also, the method may further comprises the step of:
selecting the reset code to be one that matches a non-readable enabling code provided in or on the camera for triggering initializing the counter and re enabling the function that has been disabled when the reset code is inputted to the camera.
The invention provides a way to prevent unauthorized recycling of a single-use camera and to permit authorized reuse of the camera.